If you’re struggling with your mental health, you’re not alone. According to the World Health Organization, over one billion people are experiencing mental health conditions. Further, the National Institute of Mental Health reports that 50% of all people in the US will experience mental health symptoms in their lifetime.

There are many reasons for these struggles, and we do need to know the root causes so we can put the right intervention in place. But it’s also important to know that we have the power to impact our own mental health. 

Like many health conditions, your everyday actions can impact how you feel. If you’re struggling with diabetes, and you choose to eat foods that impact your blood sugar, you have the power to control the outcome. If you have heart disease, by incorporating exercise and healthy eating in your daily life, you are impacting your outcome. Mental health is the same-- when you incorporate positive activities into your daily practice, you can improve your mental health.

There is definitely a space for formal mental health treatment through medicine or therapy. But according to research from Harvard University, an estimated 80% of all mental health challenges can be met outside of the clinical care setting. With an intentional focus on our everyday actions, the majority of us can manage our own mental health needs. 

As a Doctor of Public Health and a licensed mental health counselor, I focus my efforts on the prevention of diagnosable mental health conditions. My goal is to arm everyday people with the tools to improve their own mental health and that of those in their circle. To that end, my area of expertise is in what I call the “Social Influences of Mental Health.”

The Social Influences of Mental Health are based in science, and there is extensive research that demonstrates how each influence impacts our level of happiness. Further, when we learn how to intentionally incorporate specific interventions into our lives in meaningful and productive ways, our mental health improves. 

So, what are the five social influences, and how can we best use them to meet our mental health needs?